Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
England, 1813. Nineteen-year-old Catherine Bennet lives in the shadow of her two eldest sisters, Elizabeth and Jane, who have both made excellent marriages. No one expects Kitty to amount to anything. Left at home in rural Hertfordshire with her neurotic and nagging mother, and a father who derides her as "silly and ignorant," Kitty is lonely, diffident and at a loss as to how to improve her situation.

When her world unexpectedly expands to London and the Darcy’s magnificent country estate in Derbyshire, she is overjoyed. Keen to impress this new society, and to change her family’s prejudice, Kitty does everything she can to improve her mind and manners—and for the first time feels liked and respected. However, one fateful night at Pemberley, a series of events and misunderstandings result in Kitty being sent home in shame...

Based on Jane Austen's much-loved characters, this is the story of one woman's struggle to overcome the obstacles of her time and place and truly find herself.

My Review:What Kitty Did Next is a Regency romance set in 1813 in England. It starts about a year after Pride and Prejudice and is told from Kitty's viewpoint. Kitty knows that her family thinks very poorly of her, but she's not sure how to improve things. Jane takes pity on Kitty and invites her to London to see the sights and learn to mix in society. Then she's invited to Pemberley! Just when Kitty feels like she's proved herself to her family and that new friends have recognized her worth (including some potential suitors), things start to crumble as old prejudices combine with a misunderstanding, forcing Kitty to return home.

The author did an excellent job of capturing the personalities and tone of Jane Austen's novel. The characters' acted in ways that were consistent with their behavior in Pride and Prejudice, and the style of writing was similar to Austen's. The author did add more historical detail--things which help bring the setting and time period alive to the modern reader. This is the best Pride and Prejudice sequel that I've read.

It's an excellent novel on it's own, too. I enjoyed how Kitty grappled with how her family treated her and questions about her future. I liked how she grew as a person. While the romantic interest didn't have a lot of scenes with Kitty (as they weren't constantly together), they did have plenty of "off-screen" time to get to know each other better. He built up her confidence, and they shared interests. And the author has done her research. I enjoyed the little historical details that were woven into the action.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this story and I look forward to the author's future novels.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Just before dawn on Saturday the 9th of December, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to Mass near Mexico City. He came to a hill known as Tepeyac just as day broke. He could hear the singing of many beautiful birds, but then the singing suddenly stopped. As he looked towards the top of the hill he heard someone calling his name. He was amazed to see a beautiful lady. Her clothes glimmered like the sun and her brilliance made the rocks and plants sparkle like jewels. Juan Diego bowed deeply before her, as she told him that she was Holy Mary, the Mother of God. Then she instructed him to go to the bishop in Mexico City and ask him to build a great church so that people would come to know her love, compassion, and protection. But the bishop wished for a sign.

In this retelling of the story by award-winning author, Demi, find out how the miracles performed by the Virgin of Guadalupe persuaded the bishop to build the church; how they caused ten million Aztecs to convert to Catholicism within just eight years; and why the basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe today receives 20 million pilgrims per year, making it the most popular Christian pilgrimage site in the world.

My Review:Gifts of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a 32-page illustrated hardback book for children. The author tells the legend of how the miracles performed by the Virgin of Guadalupe persuaded a bishop to build a basilica dedicated to her plus convince millions of Aztecs to convert to Catholicism.

I am not a Catholic, but I believe that Catholics venerate Mary but do not worship her. Therefore, Catholics may have a problem with the book where it says, "...for imprinted in dazzling colors on Juan Diego's white cloak was a full-sized image of Mary, the Holy Mother of God! The bishop and all the priests fell to their knees in worship." And the accompanying illustration makes it look like they are worshiping the image of Mary. The illustrations are simple and look like different materials were cut into the shape of the bodies for the clothing and then the faces and details drawn in. Overall, it's a nice looking book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Wedding preparations are in full swing at Love Blossom Farm as food-and-lifestyle blogger Shelby McDonald transforms the property for her friend Kelly's down-home country-style reception. But when the lead singer of the wedding band turns up dead--drowned in a trough full of rainwater and strung up like a scarecrow--the police round themselves up a barnful of suspects.

It seems that Travis sowed the seeds of discord wherever he went, and when it becomes clear that everyone from the groom to Shelby's own staff has motive, tracking down Travis' killer is going to be more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.

My Review:Bought the Farm is a cozy mystery. It's the third book in the series. You can understand this book without reading the previous one, and this novel didn't spoil the mystery in the previous book.

The story was more filler than detection. We're told every single detail about the wedding decor. We're told every single movement that people made, like this was a step-by-step guide. For example, we're told every step Shelby made to hand-wash dishes when the point was that she thought about some things while she washed dishes. This made for very slow pacing.

The heroine asked questions to determine who had a motive but didn't seem to know how to narrow things down once she realized everyone had a motive. She was slow in connecting any clues and wasn't sure what to do once she finally figured out whodunit. Happily, her boyfriend told her to tell the police. Of course, then she spots the murderer and obligingly runs away from whodunit into a secluded spot then falls into a pool to create an exciting ending. Unfortunately, I lost all respect for her instead.

The "Dear Reader" short asides directed at the actual reader broke the flow of the story and pulled me out of any immersion that I had in the story. There were also numerous grammar errors that created sentences that were quite funny as written and required a pause to determine what was really meant. So the mystery wasn't very puzzling and the writing didn't hold my attention. There was no sex. There was no bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Brooklyn's future in-laws are traveling from England to meet her, and if that's not enough to set her on edge, rumors abound that the charming Courtyard Shops across the street may be replaced by high-rise apartments. Their trendy neighborhood will be ruined unless Brooklyn and her fiance, Derek Stone, can persuade the shopkeepers not to sell.

But with a rare edition of Alice in Wonderland causing bad blood at the Brothers Bookshop and a string of petty vandalism making everyone nervous, Brooklyn and Derek feel overwhelmed. Then the local cobbler is found in the Rabbit Hole juice bar under a toppled heavy shelf. Things get curiouser and curiouser when a second priceless copy of Alice is discovered.

As the Brits descend, Brooklyn learns they're not so stuffy after all. Derek's dad is won over with chocolate cream pie, and his psychic mum would kill to help Brooklyn solve this murder--before another victim takes a tumble.

My Review:Once Upon a Spine is a cozy mystery. This novel is the 11th in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books.

Brooklyn and Derek worked as a team, and they passed on the information that they discover to their detective friend. Brooklyn mainly got people talking about the murder to glean who had motive and might have known that the victim would be at that spot. There were clues, but the mystery was ultimately solved by Brooklyn knowingly running into a situation where whodunit was threatening more people (hoping to somehow prevent another death). I prefer reckless to stupid in a heroine, but my favorite mystery heroines solve the mystery without the murderer confessing. Still, enjoyable characters.

There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Katherine "Kit" FitzGilbert was ruined in the estimation of London society more than a decade ago. She now helps aristocratic women who have been seduced or raped and are pregnant so they can avoid being ruined. She also discreetly raises the illegitimate children in return for payments from the fathers.

When business takes her to London and she's forced to run for her life, she escapes through a ballroom and is spotted by Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling. As much as Kit desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, revealing the truth isn't worth putting him and everyone she loves in danger.

My Review:A Defense of Honor is a Christian romance set in 1816 in England. Realistic, complex characters and vivid setting details immersed me into the story. I cared about the characters and understood why they acted the way they did. The romantic couple inspired each other to be better people and had shared interests to sustain their attraction. I love this type of story, which has real struggles without making the reader depressed. Rather, the characters find healing and freedom.

Kit pushed her shy friend into doing something that resulted in her seduction while also ruining Kit's reputation. Cast from society, Kit and her friend have found a way to save other women from the same fate while also providing a home for the resulting children. Kit's guilt runs deep, and she helps other women as a way to earn the forgiveness of her friend and God. She struggles to accept that they've already forgiven her. She also struggles with trusting God to provide for their needs.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable and moving story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Once there was a mermaid who longed to know of more than her ocean home and her people. One day a fisherman trapped her in his net but couldn't bear to keep her. But his eyes were lonely and caught her more surely than the net, and so she evoked a magic that allowed her to walk upon the shore. The mermaid, Amelia, became his wife, and they lived on a cliff above the ocean for ever so many years, until one day the fisherman rowed out to sea and did not return.

P. T. Barnum was looking for marvelous attractions for his American Museum, and he'd heard a rumor of a mermaid who lived on a cliff by the sea. He wanted to make his fortune, and an attraction like Amelia was just the ticket.

Amelia agreed to play the mermaid for Barnum, and she believes she can leave any time she likes. But Barnum has never given up a money-making scheme in his life, and he's determined to hold on to his mermaid.

My Review:The Mermaid is a fantasy/romance set mainly in 1842 in New York City. The story was initially told like a fairy tale narrative. A mermaid falls in love with a fisherman in a remote village in America, but once her husband dies, she's left mourning him and angry at the ocean that took him from her. She hasn't aged, and rumors about her reach the ears of P. T. Barnum. At this point, the author started showing scenes and developing characters.

While Amelia looked like a human when not in her mermaid form, she didn't accept various human notions of proper behavior. She stood up for herself when dealing with Barnum and didn't feel she needed a protector. But her assertiveness and her desire for others to accept her ideas of right and wrong also made for conflict. Amelia increasingly chafed against the 1842 white male attitude towards women, slaves, savages, and God, and she wanted Levi to agree that those attitudes were wrong.

Levi, Barnum's assistant, fell in love with Amelia and worked to protect her against those who would treat her like an animal or condemn her as the Devil's creature. Even knowing she's not human, he still expected her to conform to human standards in some ways and didn't always understand her attitudes or feelings. The suspense came from the potential danger to Amelia from religious people, greedy people, and those who viewed her as an animal or fraud. Frankly, though, that danger didn't really materialize until nearly the end.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting story, but realize it's more about choices and attitudes than suspense.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Five years after the final shot was fired in the War Between the States, Selah Daughtry can barely manage to keep herself, her two younger sisters, and their spinster cousin fed and clothed. With their family's Mississippi plantation swamped by debt and the Big House falling down around them, the only option seems to be giving up their ancestral land.

Pinkerton agent and former Union cavalryman Levi Riggins is investigating a series of robberies and sabotage linked to the impoverished Daughtry plantation. Posing as a hotel management agent for the railroad, he tells Selah he'll help her save her home, but only if it is converted into a hotel.

Selah isn't sure she entirely trusts the handsome Yankee, but she'd do almost anything to save her home. What she never expected to encounter was his assault on her heart.

My Review:A Rebel Heart is a Christian romance set in 1870 in Mississippi. The setting and historical details immersed me in the story. The story touched on how difficult it was for former slave owners and ex-slaves to form new, equitable relationships. The story also looked at how Southerners each reacted differently to a Yankee, Levi.

The characters were complex and acted realistically, and I cared about what happened to them. Selah and Levi brought out the good in each other. They were attracted to the other's character as well as looks. They respected each other and worked well together.

There was some mystery since Levi was trying to determine who caused the train wreck. We know whodunit since we get scenes from their point of view. This increased the suspense since we know there is danger to Levi (and others). The main characters prayed before making major decisions, and their Christian beliefs were reflected in how they treated others. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After saving Kaylee Martin from abduction and delivering her baby boy on the side of the road, Dr. Joshua Crawford can't get them out of his mind. Unfortunately, neither can Kaylee's violent stalker. He'll stop at nothing to get to the new mom and her child. Can Joshua keep them safe so they can become the family he's dreamed about?

My Review:Vanished in the Night is a romantic suspense novel. Though a part of a series, it worked as a standalone. The book is short, so things happened very fast. The hero and heroine fell in love practically as soon as they met. There were only a few attacks on the heroine before the ending suspense sequence happened. There weren't very many suspects. It was more about figuring out who was doing what and where to find them.

I liked the main characters. The heroine picked her battles, was willing to accept help, made good decisions about safety, and could think on her feet and defend herself. The hero was caring, a doctor, and a mixed martial artist who was good at defending her. The physical danger to Kaylee and her baby caused the suspense.

There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shet her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region's wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift her and her sisters out of poverty.

After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he's faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling? As Clark opens Olivia's eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she hides her father's connection to a murder in the park's past.

My Review:Where the Fire Falls is a Christian romance set in 1929 in Yosemite National Park. Though this book is a part of a series, it works as a standalone. The series is about the early years of the various national parks.

I was interested in the story because the heroine is talented at watercolor painting. Sadly, the author seems to have simply looked up some art terms and scattered them throughout the story as she doesn't convey an accurate understanding of watercolor painting. She spent more time researching the park, though, so we got vivid descriptions of the park as Olivia toured it while painting the sights.

The hero is a guide in the park. He's leery of women because untrue accusations by one got him fired by his church. He's uncertain what to do with his future as he wants to be a minister but feels he can no longer be one. Olivia wants to be a famous artist and is pressured into acting like a jerk to fit in with her rich clients. She has to decide what is most important to her and what she's willing to compromise. These two fall in love as she works on her paintings. We get a suspenseful ending when people start to do unethical things to make money off of her paintings.

The Christian theme was about understanding where your identity comes from as a child of God. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, it was an enjoyable romance.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
The Second World War is drawing to a close. Nicholas Vaughan, released from the navy after an accident, takes refuge in Devon—renting a thatched cottage in the beautiful countryside at Mallory Fitzjohn. Vaughan sets to work farming the land, rearing geese and renovating the cottage. Hard work and rural peace seem to make this a happy bachelor life.

On a nearby farm lives the bored, flirtatious June St Cyres, an exile from London while her husband is a Japanese POW. June's presence attracts fashionable visitors of dubious character, and threatens to spoil Vaughan's prized seclusion. When Little Thatch is destroyed in a blaze, all Vaughan's work goes up in smoke—and Inspector Macdonald is drafted in to uncover a motive for murder.

My Review:Fire in the Thatch is a mystery published in 1946 and set at the end of World War II in England. The first fourth of the book set up who the characters were and let us get to know the victim, who happened to be a nice fellow. The characters were complex and interesting.

The fire was declared an accident, yet the Scotland Yard detective is brought in to determine if it was an accident or a very clever murder. The detective thoroughly looked into every detail of the matter and questioned suspects. He's quite clever and astute about how people act. While I did highly suspect whodunit from the same scene that the detective did, the author muddied things enough that I wasn't certain until nearly the end.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I would recommend this enjoyable and interesting mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The dedicated black sheep of his conservative, wealthy Australian family, Rowland Sinclair prefers to leave managing the immense family fortune and politics to his elder brother, Wil, while pursuing a life as a gentleman artist. A life in company of boho housemates Clyde, a fellow painter; Milton, a plagiarising poet; and Edna, the beautiful, emancipated sculptress who is both his muse and the (unacknowledged) love of his life.

Having barely escaped 1933 Germany while reluctantly pursuing an off-the-books mission in Munich, the usually stoic Rowly remains horrified and deeply troubled by the changes that have come about under the Nazi government. The country which he knew in his early twenties as the centre of modern art and culture, is now, under Hitler, oppressed and sanitised. Tortured by the SA for the degeneracy of his own paintings, he bears both physical and emotional scars. For the first time he is moved to take a stance politically, to try and sway the political thought of the time. A friend of the Left and son of the Right, Rowland doesn't really know what he is doing, or what should be done, but he is consumed with a notion that something should be done. Plus he needs to recuperate.

And so Rowly and his friends make for England rather than returning to Sydney. In London, in the superlative luxury of Claridge's, they feel safe. Then Viscount Pierrepont is discovered in his club, impaled by a sword. Pierrepont is sporting a frilly negligée and makeup - so, a sex crime? Too embarrassing. And too bizarre a death for this aging gentleman, and him newly wed. His murder, and the suspicion falling on his young niece, quickly plunge the Australians into a queer world of British aristocracy, Fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal, and spies ranging from London and its suburbs to Bletchley Park and Oxford, and inevitably drawing in Wil Sinclair as well as players like H.G. Wells and Winston Churchill. It's a world where gentlemen are not always what they are dressed up to be.

My Review:Gentlemen Formerly Dressed is a mystery set in June and July 1933 in England. This is the fifth novel in a series. This story referred back to events that happened in previous books, especially the fourth book. The events that happened in Germany still impact the characters during this book, so I'd recommend reading that story before this one.

The main characters were interesting, caring people. Since an innocent girl was being accused of murder, they asked questions despite being warned off by people trying to hush up the crime. Since the murdered man was found in a woman's nightgown, they looked into a possible homosexual connection. There were enough clues that I could guess whodunit shortly before Rowley. The main characters also tried to warn people in Britain about Hitler and what's going on in Germany. Interesting historical details were woven into the the story and touch on the crime.

There was some bad language (if you're American) to a fair amount of bad language (if you count British/Australia bad words). There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

About Me

My name is Debbie. I'm a single female in my thirties. I have three book review blogs: one for well-written, clean fiction; one for nonfiction (memoirs, history, military, religion, and social issues); and a book club for Christian nonfiction.

My other review blogs

Why this blog?

I like to read, but it can be hard to find clean mainstream fiction anymore. Hopefully this blog will help others who have similar reading tastes to find clean novels to read.

In my reviews, I try to point out elements that I think readers may wish to know which might influence their decision to read a book. I'm not trying to convince people not to read a book as I'm fully aware that some things which bother me won't bother others at all. So if a book sounds fun to you, certainly give it a try!

Disclosure StatementI'm not paid to review books. I do receive free review copies from publishers, authors, etc., but I also review books I've bought or checked out of the library. I review all books by the same standard, no matter the source. My readers are assuming I am, and the publishers expect it.